League Judgment: Elise, the Spider Queen
by ZodiarkSavior
Summary: Explore the past of the Spider Queen herself and how she came to be.


**Candidate:** Elise

**Date:** 17 October, 22 CLE

**OBSERVATION**

The quarter is dark under the veil of night, only controlled breaths distinguishable in the silence. The woman they were offering their scrutinizing glares for was adorned in a ridiculous, provocative costume mimicking that of a spider. The protrusions erupting from her back, easily interpreted into an intricate form of self expression. It was the time for the Harrowing after all. Many were fond of dressing appropriately for the holiday.

They knew better.

For years, folios pertaining to such cases were completely incoherent. The ink long since dried upon the pages, faded, the results - inconclusive. Not even the most prestigious detectives of Valoran able to unweave the mystery left behind in the disappearances. Every consecutive, unresolved case document affixed with a seal that declared the investigation forsaken.

As a result, it wasn't long until the stories were claimed by tongues that spoke urban legend. The tales eventually gravitated towards the goal of spooking children around the time of the Harrowing.

The disappearances still occurred, weighing heavily in favor of the validity of such. Unfortunately, the fact that there was no conclusive evidence to proceed in any investigation only disheartened all those whose professions lied within the area of expertise.

Eventually, that only spawned in organizations revolving around such negativity, entrapping themselves in a wheel of paranoia. There were those who rolled around the opposites, glorifying some figure they've conceptualized. The groups were few, but burdensome; constantly conducting attempts to force their own religions… Most were harmless. Most.

It wasn't until the League of Legends was formed that others decided to put an end to the legend that inadvertently spawned the myth of creatures such as flying pasta monsters or an egg-laying, venomous, duck-billed, beaver-tailed, otter-footed beast that frequented sewers or gargantuan spider-gods.

It had not taken them long, with conjoined efforts. Especially with the unorthodox requested assistance of resident Champions of the League. The Exile's presence was testimony to the service she had provided, remaining blended in the shadows that clawed the corners of the chamber.

Their efforts were doubly sure to keep the entire matter confidential. A bolded detail included in the High Council's orders; one could only imagine what the Night Hunter would do should she catch wind of this.

Instead they were graced by the Rogue Mage, for reasons both personal and official, spells primed to imprison the subject in runes should she try anything.

The culprit behind hundreds of kidnappings sits innocently even when bound; dangling and twisting her legs together like a schoolgirl.

"I imagine you know why you are here?"

Elise tosses her head, more out to conceal the fact the spotlight is causing her eyes to water than out of bravado. "Like a fool, I've let traces of my own web dangle behind me."

"Quite the poet…" The compliment spawned a small smile, but the voice was shushed. "You are here under suspicion of countless abductions throughout the city states of Valoran. You are to be imprisoned for your actions within the League of Legends."

Elise taps the pointed curves serving as footwear in a rhythm against the stone floor, the bulge of toes clearly seen elevated above the spikes. "I claim innocence."

"Provide proof of your innocence." A lofty challenge that was interrupted by its own challenger, "You have none; the Exile has witnessed your actions. You shall not be granted Tribunal for your actions, only imprisonment."

The unnamed Summoner's expression was veiled under his hood as he whispered to the figure beside him. "Your mind shall be delved into; the contents of your memories to be stored on record," his tone then turned mocking. "Should we find that you _truly _are innocent, we shall release you with the proper reimbursement of apologies."

Judgments were never mandatory, but they provided much insight. The information acquired was penned onto scrolls to be stored within the deepest depths of the Institute's Archives.

Unfortunately, because they were not in the Reflecting Room, the Summoners with them had perform this task with direct physical contact.

Elise is soon locked into submission by chains of runes that tangled around her body, as the Senior Summoner cautiously trundled toward her, lifting his arms steadily, preparing himself. A recognizable fear twinkled under the hooded robes.

"I don't bite." Her rich-river accent was strangely reassuring for the Summoner, trembling hands put to rest as he laid them upon her temples.

**REFLECTION**

"_Lo, the twisted webs I weave cast on twisted branches they lie; the spider, I, they, the fly."_

The adolescent taps her finger on the page as she rests her head in thought. Out of all passages in this volume, this one captivated her the most.

Elise was not sure why. She was fascinated with the literature works of this man, spending the hours of the eve studying. Out of all his quotes, she feels as if this one has deeper meaning. It is obvious he refers to entrapment, yet…

One of the many reasons she pursues the work of poets; they dressed an innumerable amount of clever references beneath their words. This particular author is unpopular among her peers but she finds favor in the book, occasionally scribbling her thoughts within the margins.

When she graduates from one of the many colleges in Piltover, she does so with an air of pride, stalking the streets in thought; her mind a hive of words that soon piece themselves together to form a beautiful concoction she hopes one day to publish.

Star rods light the streets of Piltover beautifully at night, she notes. An excellent complement to the gentle sweeps of the occasional breeze or perhaps the reflection of the soft light off the waters of the fountains her fingers waded through. An atmosphere that is the epitome of peace.

Elise was partially shamed when she had learned nearly all her ideas for poems were preoccupied in the articles of writers' journals, from the whispering of the skies to even the waterways beneath Piltover.

This would not do. There had to be something that was completely uncharted in terms of literature.

It wasn't long before her eyes stumbled across texts of the mysterious and largely unknown Shadow Isles. Through the laborious efforts of acquiring funds, she soon embarked on passage towards the fabled islands with an equally curious colleague of hers. The voyage had taken weeks before their arrival, a blanket of fog indicating their nearing that was so impossibly thick, every meter forward left their skin licked with moisture, droplets forming.

Elise checked to make sure the pages of her journal hadn't soiled, packing it further into pockets of her bags. Her eyes hungrily observed the sight before her, soon deciding the scene was beautiful, especially paired with the soundless waves that crashed into the boat.

Though, the opinion was completely exclusive to her.

The moment Elise implanted her step onto the dampened sands of the black beach, a knot of revulsion wound through her, nagging her to flee as her skin crawled, a powerful nausea blooming within her stomach her skin crawling as the paranoia of someone watching her latched onto the edges of her mind.

The crew implored her to reconsider the adventure. Elise refused. Her colleague did also, but was obviously mutual in the feelings she was experiencing.

Journal in hand, Elise flushed away such sensations, her rapt attention delivered towards furiously penning small thoughts and background details. The fog had long since parted but still draped eerily in the swaying sky, the obscured sunlight dyeing the surroundings various obscure colors as it passed through ghost trees, grass and and flowers that engulfed her in their terrifying radiance.

She passes her hand through a spectral leaf that floated in the wind... Yet, there was no wind. Only the howling and desperate cries of distant animals.

Aggravation sparked when her colleague begged her to retreat back to the boat. Elise did no such thing, continuing her trek forward; an agreement to some unknown instinct.

So absorbed in her scrawls, Elise and her colleague upon a cave furnished completely with webs. Her mind made no reminder of danger as she put away her journal to grope forward.

That was when she found _It_. A gargantuan, terrifying spider that loomed over her, its predatory gazes boring into Elise's own as she remained petrified, the beast dragging her towards it with a cast of a large web.

Instead of devouring her,_ It_ communed; the thoughts wordless, seamless, coherent yet incoherent, conveyance by pure intention in song. _It_ promised her eternity should she serve as vassal.

The proposal was wholeheartedly accepted out of fear. By these means, Elise could pursue her interests for an eternity. As entrance to such a gift, she would need to feed her new master yearly.

Her way with words made that achievement simple, goading every crew member that accompanied her with exciting fantasies of discovered treasure -Directly into _Its_ maw.

Her reward: An extract of sweet venom gifted from her new master to be ingested.

Aging now halted to not even a crawl; Elise spends the bulk of her time stringing words together, easily amassing followers on Valoran who quickly dubbed her Spider Queen. She had made sure those who named her such abide by tenants such as secrecy and complete, blind devotion.

Even now, as an insubordinate devotee glared defiantly at Elise promising to expose her plots should she not follow his coercions. To discuss the matter further in private, Elise led the arrogant man into her chambers with a well-worn mask of defeat, savoring the absolute fear he adorned in response of shedding her form in preference for her other; a colossal spider with predatory eyes.

Before he could scream, Elise swiftly lunged, ensnaring his entire body in her web, making sure to snap his neck in the beginning weave of her cocoon and soon to be meal. His fate informed to all under the guise of a promoted Pilgrimage to the spider-god himself.

The spider-god detested having his meal stolen from under his gaze, so these snacks were rare delicacies.

To _It_, the size of the human mattered. Should Elise bring children along on the Pilgrimage, she made sure there were plenty of them. Once, Elise had managed to entice an entire classroom of children, including the teacher. They thought the voyage towards the Shadow Isles a simple field trip.

It greatly enjoyed that dessert.

Elise as well, savoring the intoxicating, addicting sensations of the extracted venom as immortality flourished anew inside her, the film clouding her awareness washed away with the opening of her eyes, eagerly awaiting her next visit to the spider-god.

Over countless years, this transpired, Elise perfecting the craft of spinning intricate deceptions with her rich-river accent to an art form.

After a while, the deeper meaning of that quote was finally uncovered.


End file.
